4. Fae Prince

Chapter 4

Fae Prince

Libby

T here was nothing worse than feeling like you were about to burst into tears and have all eyes on you. While the groundbreaking ceremony had been short and sweet, it was hard to be back in a place that held no good memories for me.

When my mom had told us she’d found a new home for us, I’d still been an optimistic eight-year-old and thought that my mom had finally gotten her shit together. As soon as we’d stepped foot in the abandoned building that was anything but clean and safe, my hope had dwindled that I’d ever have a normal childhood. We hadn’t lived here for very long, but it was probably one of the worst places we’d stayed.

In a way, each place we had lived reflected my mother’s own deterioration. Barely standing and surviving from day to day. Until she wasn’t.

Once my brother was financially able, he had purchased the property, and now we stood in the exact spot where the building had once stood, sharing a shovel to start something new in its place.

I glanced up as onlookers burst into applause as we broke ground. My cheeks trembled with the effort it took to force a smile. It felt strange to be standing alongside millionaires and billionaires when my life could have turned out so different.

I would have liked to think that if Ryker and I hadn’t been orphaned, we’d have still made something of ourselves, but I wasn’t so sure. The statistics for making it out of poverty weren’t good, and that was why this project was so important. Too many lives got stuck in a never-ending cycle, and even if we could help one person, it would be worth it.

After a few pictures with the major donors, Carter arranged Ryker, Leo, and me for more photos. I’d tried and failed to put myself on the other side of Ryker, but Carter moved me between the two men.

Leo chuckled and lowered his voice so only I could hear. “Scared to be next to me, princess? I don’t bite.”

I glared daggers at him before plastering on another fake smile and looking forward. Why did Leo have to smell so good? I didn’t typically like the smell of cologne, but his was so light and tantalizing that it made me want to bury my face against him to get a better whiff of it.

“Leo, move a little closer to her.” Carter snapped away on his camera, oblivious to my inner turmoil.

Leo tried to put his hand on my lower back, and I scooted forward the tiniest bit so he wouldn’t touch me. The last thing I needed was to feel his warm hand against me.

“Perfect! Okay, I think we’re done here.” Carter lowered his camera and looked at me. “I’m going to be around taking pictures. Give me about fifteen minutes?”

My cheeks heated because both my brother and Leo were staring at me. “Sounds good. My friend Ethan will probably want to come. Is that okay?”

“Of course.” He smiled, gave Leo a withering glance, and then turned his back to us, raising his camera again.

I was a bit surprised at how comfortable I already felt talking to Carter. Usually, if someone new invited me out, I’d politely decline. People referred to me as shy, but it wasn’t quite that. I just needed to get a lay of the land first before sharing pieces of myself.

Leo made a sound of annoyance and brushed past me, heading for a group of businessmen. I didn’t know what his deal was, and I didn’t really care.

Ryker cleared his throat, and I turned to him. “What was that all about?”

“Carter asked me to lunch so we can talk about the community center and social media.” I shrugged, knowing exactly what my brother was thinking from the look on his face. “I’m twenty-six, Ry. No need to go all protective brother on me.”

“I’ll still be protective even when we’re in our eighties. I would tell you not to pursue anything with someone you work with, but...” He smiled wistfully as he looked past me, more than likely at his girlfriend, Paige.

I shoved his shoulder playfully. “When did you become so love-sick?”

He laughed and shook his head. “You’ll understand one of these days.” He pulled me into a hug. “Love you, sis.”

“Love you too.” I was looking forward to being around my brother more, even if he worried about me too much and sometimes acted more like a father.

“Ethan is headed this way.” He pulled away from me and cocked an eyebrow. “He appears to be on a mission. Good luck with that.”

Ryker clapped Ethan on the shoulder as he walked into the crowd of people, leaving me with my best friend. Ethan pulled me into a hug, and I rested my head on his chest.

“Are you taller?” I squeezed him tight. It had been a month since I’d seen him in person, and even though we talked every single day, it wasn’t the same.

“Nope, just my new boots.” Ethan pulled back and kicked out a foot, showing me his brown boots that had a two-inch heel. He was already six-foot-three; he didn’t need to be any taller. “They had three and a half inches too, but it was a little too much, even for me.”

Ethan was always trying to find ways to stand out in the crowd, even though he would even if he wore a potato sack. Whether it was with his clothes or his humor, he wanted people to notice him. We were complete opposites of each other in that regard, but he was my person, and I was his. Since the day we met in our freshman year of college, we had been inseparable.

Ethan hooked his arm through mine and led me away from the crowd to stand next to the brick building on the property that hadn’t been demolished. It was still structurally sound, so the plan was to gut it and turn it into the administrative offices and a learning center to use while the rest of the community center was being built. Until then, we’d work from an office building in Manhattan.

An office building that had Leo’s family name on it.

“Now that no one can hear us, spill.” Ethan gave me a knowing look, but I had no idea what he was referring to.

“Uh, spill what? The lube?” I giggled. “I still can’t believe that happened.”

“Trains do take a lot of lube… there’s all those moving parts.” He winked, and the thought of what he was referring to made my cheeks heat. “I’m referring to you and Leo. I saw the look you were giving him.”

“He’s incredibly annoying.” I didn’t even know why exactly. I’d add it to the stack of things I didn’t understand about myself.

He looked over at the man in question. “He’s watching us like someone pissed in his Corn Flakes.”

I leaned against the wall with a sigh. “He’s staying in the condo, and I wasn’t aware.”

Ethan moved in front of me, blocking Leo from view. “And?”

“I was soaking wet, so I stripped down, and he saw my tits.” I cringed as Ethan’s eyes widened. “And there was only one bed. The couch was gone.”

Ethan smacked a hand to his forehead. “Did you-”

“No!” I pushed off the wall, crossing my arms. “We shared the bed and that was it. It was awkward, and then with being flustered over it all, I forgot to plug in my phone and set an alarm. It wasn’t like we petted each other’s hair or anything salacious like you’re thinking.”

“Do you want me to kick his ass?” He looked over his shoulder and then turned back and started shadowboxing in little punches, his face scrunched up and puffs of air rushing from between his teeth. “I think I can take him.”

I burst out laughing at the thought of Ethan trying to fight anyone. “As much as I’d love to see you take him down, let’s forget it happened, okay? He’s probably still traumatized from the experience of sharing a bed with me... and seeing my boobs.”

“I wouldn’t say seeing your boobs or sharing a bed is a traumatizing experience. He probably thinks he’s in love with you now.” He sighed, his hands dropping and his expression growing serious. “Be careful around him. He’s a player.”

“Tell me something I don’t know. It’s doubtful he’ll make a move. Ryker would cut off his balls and hang them up as a trophy.”

Ethan winced, putting his hands protectively over his crotch. “He’d probably use a rusty butter knife to do it too.”

“Do I even want to know what you two are talking about?” Carter stopped to the side of us, a smile on his face that made his blue eyes shine with happiness.

“You really don’t.” Ethan stopped shielding his nuts and extended a hand. “I’m Ethan.”

“Carter.” They shook hands and Carter turned his attention to me. “Ready to go to lunch?”

My stomach growled at the mention of food since I hadn’t had time to grab anything to eat in my haste to make it on time. “Yes! Ethan, are you coming?”

“Of course. We need our energy for our shopping spree.” Ethan rubbed his hands together like he couldn’t wait to help me pick out new clothes. I was glad one of us was excited to shop.

“Are we waiting for Leo? He didn’t seem thrilled that I asked you out to lunch.” Carter smirked.

My stomach flipped in a weird way, and I released an exasperated breath. “I’ve been a bit of a bitch to him, so maybe we should wait.”

Ethan leaned against the wall, propping his foot up on it. “He probably deserved whatever sass you gave him.”

Carter looked over at Ethan and raised his hand to his chin, tapping a finger on his lips. “Have you ever modeled?”

Ethan snorted, a grin spreading across his face. “Why? Do you think I’m hot?”

Carter looked him up and down. “You have this ethereal beauty about you that’s hard to look away from. Like you’re a fae prince.” Carter unzipped his camera bag. “Can I take some photos?”

“Hell yes. Did you hear that, Lib? He thinks I look like one of those fae book boyfriends you swoon over.” He was never going to shut up about this now.

I punched him playfully on the arm before I moved out of the way.

Ethan laughed as Carter started snapping photos. Now that I was standing farther back, I could see what Carter was talking about.

I’d always found Ethan attractive, but with the way the light hit him as he leaned against the wall, he was breathtaking. His smooth skin practically glowed and his brown eyes sparkled with mischief. His short brown hair was expertly tousled without being messy or too put together. Really, all he was missing were pointed ears.

“So perfect.” Carter moved around and captured Ethan from different vantage points, including some where he squatted and took them from a lower angle. “Libby, let’s get you in there with your fae prince.”

“Uh, what?” I’d barely processed what he was asking me to do before Ethan pushed off the wall and grabbed my hand, yanking me toward him with a little too much enthusiasm.

I smacked into him, my free hand settling on his chest. What the fuck was happening? How did I suddenly get roped into a photoshoot and why was my body erupting with goosebumps?

“Turn so she’s against the wall and lean into her with your arm braced above her.”

Did Carter know all the things that made women swoon? He was having way too much fun with this.

I felt hot and flustered as Ethan grinned like this was the best day of his life. He moved me against the wall and my knees went a little wobbly from the way he was looking down at me. The look he was giving me was intense.

“Ethan,” I breathed, my hands pressing into the bricks behind me as he leaned his face even closer to mine.

“Now, tuck her hair behind her ear and cup her jaw. Fuck, yes. Perfect.” Carter sounded like he was about to have a picture orgasm or something.

Ethan’s touch made me shiver, and I bit my lip to stifle the whimper that so badly wanted to escape. I hadn’t felt like this around Ethan… ever.

Was he going to kiss me? If Carter told him to, would he? Would I let him?

Ethan’s touch was gentle as his hand moved to the side of my neck, and he pulled my lip away from my teeth with his thumb. His thumb hovered right below my lip, and his brows pinched as a look of contemplation swept over his face.

I wanted to duck away from him, but at the same time, I couldn’t move. My heart raced as I waited to see what he would do next.

He deserved an Academy Award for this performance. There was no ignoring how my skin tingled, and how my body had reacted to his touch. The rain the night before must have washed away all my common sense.

Or I just craved the intimacy.

“What the hell are you three doing?”

Leo’s voice was like a bucket of ice water, and I jumped, my brain switching back on.

Ethan pushed away from the wall, his fingers lingering for a second before he spun around. “Leo. What an unpleasant interruption.”

Leo looked pissed, and I wished I could vanish into thin air. There was this weird twisting sensation in my stomach again, and I didn’t know why I felt like I’d been caught doing something wrong.

Only maybe I had since we were right in the middle of an event. I’d let myself get swept up in the excitement of the photos and completely lost my mind.

Carter took some pictures of Leo, ignoring the way he was glowering at him. “This brooding asshole look is romance cover- worthy. I can probably get two or three grand for one of these pictures.”

The thought of Leo being on the cover of a billionaire or enemies to lovers romance made me irrationally possessive. “No one would read a book with him on the cover.”

Lies. All lies. And if it was him in the underwear he had on the night before? Instant bestseller.

“Gee, thanks.”

Was that hurt that crossed his face? Now I felt like an asshole.

Carter lowered his camera. “If it were monster romance, people would buy it like crazy.”

Leo lunged for Carter, who ran away, laughing his ass off. Either Leo was very unprofessional, or they knew each other outside of work. There was this air of familiarity between the two of them, and it was doubtful Leo would chase an employee like that. But then again, last night, he’d shared a bed with me.

“Well, this has been an interesting morning. I say we ditch Dumb and Dumber, get lunch, and go shopping.” Ethan took my hand and started walking toward the sidewalk.

I wasn’t a stranger to holding hands with him, but this time, it felt different after the weird photoshoot. With my emotions all over the place from everything else, I was probably reading too much into everything. “We’ll have a quick lunch with them and then go shopping.”

Ethan sighed dramatically. “If that’s what you want.”

I looked up at him as we stopped on the sidewalk. His jaw was clenched, which I didn’t think I’d ever seen him do. “What’s wrong?”

He pulled out his phone, avoiding my stare. “Nothing.”

That was utter bullshit. Ethan was always very open about his emotions and feelings, so him brushing off my question was concerning. Maybe he’d also woken up on the wrong side of the bed.

I looked back over my shoulder as Carter came running after us, Leo right behind him. I couldn’t help but smile at the two men in suits running around like children. Thankfully, most of the people had cleared out and the only ones left were the clean-up crew.

“You two trying to ditch us?” Carter breathed heavily, stopping beside me. “I have a car service, unless you two wanted to take an Uber.”

“We’ll take my car.” Leo adjusted his suit as he walked past us and stepped between two cars parked against the curb. A black SUV came to a stop in the street and Leo opened the back door. “Let’s go.”

Was he always so damn bossy?

As we all climbed into the back, I was hit with a sudden wave of nervousness. Not only was I alone with three very attractive men, but the alpha male energy coming from both Leo and Ethan was doing things to me.

Hopefully, it was just a side effect of being hungry, but part of me knew it was a hunger for more than food.